
Mizzou Football Comes Up Short Against Kentucky, 29-7
10/26/2019 10:02:00 PM | Football
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Football dropped a rainy, cold SEC matchup to Kentucky, 29-7, on Saturday night in Lexington, Ky. Mizzou struggled to move the ball on a sloppy Kroger Field, losing its second consecutive road contest.
With the loss, Mizzou drops to 5-3 (2-2 SEC), while Kentucky improves to 4-4 (2-4 SEC). Mizzou will next travel to Georgia on Nov. 9.
Top Performers
- Sophomore RB Tyler Badie made two receptions for 82 yards, including a career-long 74 yard TD reception to score Mizzou's first touchdown of the game. Badie also added six carries for 31 yards in the game.
- Senior QB Kelly Bryant went 10-19 for 130 yards and one TD in the game.
- Junior RB Larry Rountree III led the team in rushing with 53 yards on 13 attempts, and moved to seventh on Mizzou's all-time rushing list.
- Sophomore LB Nick Bolton led Mizzou in tackles for the third straight contest, as he recorded 12 stops in the game, including nine solo tackles. It marked the third consecutive game Bolton has recorded 10+ tackles, and the fourth overall game with 10+ stops this season.
- In just one half of play, junior S Tyree Gillespie recorded five tackles, 2.0 TFL, one forced fumble and one pass break-up.
A Quick Recap
Mizzou and Kentucky opened the game with a scoreless first quarter, as both teams struggled to move the ball with the rain coming down off and on for much of the game. With the Wildcats driving near the end of the first quarter, RS junior DT Markell Utsey strip-sacked Kentucky QB Lynn Bowden near mid-field, where senior DB DeMarkus Acy jumped on the loose ball. However, Mizzou was unable to score any points off the turnover.
Kentucky was able to find the end zone three times and convert a 43-yard field goal in the second quarter, as the Wildcats took a 22-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.
After a quick three-and-out stop for the Mizzou defense to open the third quarter, sophomore RB Tyler Badie was able to break open a big play, as he took a third-down screen play from senior QB Kelly Bryant 74 yards to the house for a touchdown. The play was the longest pass allowed by Kentucky this season, as the Wildcats entered the game as one of just seven FBS team who hadn't allowed a pass over 40 yards or more on the season.
Mizzou was unable to score in the fourth quarter, as Kentucky added one last touchdown to make the final score 29-7.
Team Notes
- With the win, Kentucky leads the all-time series between the two programs, 7-3, and has now won the last five meetings.
Offensive Notes
- With 58 rushing yards in the game, junior RB Larry Rountree III moved into seventh place in program history with 2,563 rushing yards. He surpassed Corby Jones, who totaled 2,533 yards from 1995-98, and Tony Temple, who had 2,552 yards from 2004-07.
- Sophomore RB Tyler Badie recorded a career-long 74-yard touchdown reception on the opening drive of the third quarter. It broke his previous career-long reception of 49 yards, which he set vs. Ole Miss on Oct. 12.
- The reception helped Badie eclipse his previous career-high of 69 reception yards, which he also set against Ole Miss. He finished the game with 82 receiving yards.
- The Bryant-Badie connection was the first pass play of over 40 yards allowed by Kentucky this season. The Wildcats entered Saturday's contest as one of seven FBS to not allow a 40-yard reception this season.
- RS junior RB Dawson Downing's second-quarter catch for seven yards marked a new career long. Downing finished the game with 11 yards and three receptions.
Defensive Notes
- Sophomore LB Nick Bolton continued to make his case as one of the best linebackers in the SEC, recording his third consecutive game with at least 10 tackles, and the fourth time overall this season. Bolton recorded 12 stops in the game, including nine solo tackles.
- Over his impressive three game stretch, Bolton has recorded 37 tackles, 29 of which have been solo stops.
- RS junior DL Markell Utsey recorded his first career forced fumble during the first quarter.
- Utsey's career moment marked the fourth time in the five games that the Tiger defense has recorded a fumble.
- Junior S Tyree Gillespie followed up Utsey's play, recording his own first career forced fumble during the third quarter.
- Following up Gillespie's peanut punch, junior S Joshuah Blesdoe recorded his second career fumble recovery.
- Mizzou has now forced a turnover in seven straight games, dating back to the home-opener against West Virginia (Sept. 7). The defense has forced 14 turnovers over that stretch.
- It was also the fourth game this season that Mizzou has forced two or more turnovers (Sept. 7 vs. West Virginia, Sept. 21 vs. South Carolina, Oct. 5 vs. Troy).
- RS junior DT Jordan Elliott recorded a career-high six tackles in the game, surpassing his previous career-high of five.
- Freshman S Martez Manuel and freshman LB Devin Nicholson both made their first career starts Saturday. The pair had one and six tackles, respectively. It marked the first time Nicholson had recorded a tackle in a game.
For all the latest on Mizzou Football, stay tuned to www.MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter (@MizzouFootball) and like the team on Facebook and Instagram.
Team Stats

MU 0, UK 6
UK - Kavosiey Smoke 1 yd run (Matt Ruffolo kickfailed), 7 plays, 86 yards, TOP 3:38

MU 0, UK 12
UK - Asim Rose 20 yd run (Matt Ruffolo kickfailed), 7 plays, 45 yards, TOP 4:05

MU 0, UK 15
UK - Chance Poore 43 yd field goal 7 plays, 55 yards, TOP 3:44

MU 0, UK 22
UK - Lynn Bowden 10 yd run (Chance Poore kick), 1 plays, 20 yards, TOP 0:12

MU 7, UK 22
MU - Badie, Tyler 74 yd pass from Bryant, Kelly (McCann, Tucker kick) 3 plays, 72 yards, TOP 0:45

MU 7, UK 29
UK - Lynn Bowden 33 yd run (Chance Poore kick), 9 plays, 83 yards, TOP 4:24